Once Forgotten
by StrangeReverie
Summary: Raina is anything but special,or so she thinks. Until one fateful night when her world is turned upside down, and she learns that she’s not the person she thought she was. She sets out to discover a past once forgotten with help from the YYH gang. HieixOC
1. Ill Omens

Hey everyone! Well well, this is my first attempt at fanfic so please be kind. I've been debating whether or not to write a fanfic and finally I decided to give it a try. So if you have any helpful hints or constructive criticism, please share! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the story….don't worry, I know it starts a little slowly. Off you go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of the characters. But I do own Raina Hokkaido!

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CHAPTER 1: Ill Omens

It's always the same. Everything is so routine, so repetitive, so boring. Wake up, go to school, go home, do homework, go to work, go to sleep, then start all over again the next day. I hate it. As I thought about how terribly mundane my life is, I let my mind wander. I stared out the big window next to my desk in my calculus class letting my mind play out grand adventures in far away, unknown places (very mature, I know). I was snapped out of my blissful daydreams by the demanding voice of my teacher requesting an answer to the complicated problem on the board. I had no answer for him. Thankfully the bell rang, setting us all free for the day.

I walked quickly out of school, making no point in saying goodbye to my friends as I had to work tonight and had tons of homework. I tread the familiar route to my house, enjoying the light breeze and the feel of the warm spring sun on my face. When I arrived home there was, as usual, no one there. My parents were almost always gone, at work, or some other work related function. I don't ask. I've practically raised myself since I was four, what difference did it make now whether they were here or not?

I climbed the stairs to my room, took off my school uniform and changed into my work one. I work at a little sandwich shop about 10 minutes from my house. Normally I don't mind my job, but today was likely going to be very boring as it's a weekday and hardly anyone comes in on weekday evenings. Oh well. I went into the bathroom and pulled my hair up into a loose ponytail. I examined my reflection in the mirror. I'm a little shorter than average, about 5 feet 3 inches. My light brown, below shoulder length hair fell in wisps around my face, already coming loose from the ponytail. I examined my flawless complexion with dark violet eyes. The violet eyes apparently came from my mother's side of the family, as her mother has violet eyes as well. But aside from my eyes there was nothing unique, nothing exciting about me. I'm just me, just Raina Hokkaido, the sweet, friendly, straight A's, hard-working girl. Yes, my friends always tell me I'm cute and pretty, but I mean, there's nothing really different about me. I sighed as I walked down the hallway and out the front door, on my way to work.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm normally a very happy person, but today for some reason, something seems off. I don't know exactly what or why, but I just have this ominous, nagging feeling that something is going to happen. Something bad.

I walked into work and performed my usual duties to prepare for today's big rush. Not. The whole night passed rather uneventfully, with only a small handful of customers coming in during my entire 6 hour shift. By closing time, I was worn out from being so bored…does that make sense? After I had cleaned everything up I flicked off the lights behind the counter and made my way to the back door to take out the trash. The fresh, cool air from outside made me feel instantly better, and I figured if that big something hadn't happened yet, then it probably wasn't going to. So with a little more bounce in my step I headed for the dumpster and flung the trash into it.

Then I heard it, a small, indistinct noise, but something like I'd never heard before. It was a sort of deep throated growl, not like a dog or anything, it sounded much more sinister. I stood frozen for a moment, not sure if perhaps I had just imagined it. But then it came again and I thought I heard something move this time. I bolted to the door and ran back inside, slamming it shut behind me. Shaking slightly, I went into the break room and grabbed my purse. I wanted to get home, but I didn't want to have to walk the 10 minutes it took me to get there. But I told myself it was just my imagination playing tricks on me, I was, after all, very tired. Plus, I had homework to do, so I couldn't just stand around being afraid. With new found courage, I walked out the front door of the store into the darkness and into the awaiting danger.

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OMG A CLIFFIE...kind of! Soooo…what'd you think?? Huh huh? Bad? Good? Terrible? Marvelous? And yes, I know, there has been no mention of Yu Yu Hakusho anything yet…but that's next chapter so you can look forward to that, mmmmk? Plus there wasn't any dialogue in this chapter, but that'll come next chapter too, Raina was just feeling especially antisocial today…I guess. Anyway, please give me some reviews so I know how I'm doing. Thanks a bunch and hopefully the next chapter will be up fairly quickly as work and other random life happenings will allow. But until then, R&R! 


	2. The First Encounter

Here's chapter two…I hope you enjoy it! Now read on, my friends, read on!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of its characters.

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As I stepped out the front door on my way home, the same rush of cool air greeted me, but this time it wasn't refreshing, it was chilling. I felt the courage I had only moments ago escape me like water from and open hand. The dim lights from the streetlamps cast yellow circles on the cement, shrouding the surrounding areas in darkness. I could smell rain on the air and heard the wind whisper through the trees nearby. I forced my eyes to focus on the dark corners and shadowed alleys as I began to walk quickly toward my house. The streets were deserted and I became aware of my muffled footsteps echoing quietly around me.

I stopped dead in my tracks. It was almost inaudible, but I had certainly heard it…a second set of footsteps. They had stopped the moment I did. I looked around behind me, somewhere out of sight, somewhere in the darkest shadows, someone stood, watching me. I could feel it, their eyes watching me, watching me watching them, straining so hard to see. Then I turned and ran, hoping that my sudden movement would catch them off guard and I could possibly get a few seconds head start. But whoever my pursuer was, he was not human. He caught up with me even before I heard him take chase. He was only feet behind me now, his ragged breath on the back of my neck. I felt a searing pain as razor sharp claws dug into my side, and the last thing I can remember is falling to the cold ground as cruel yellow eyes watched me slip into unconsciousness, my crimson blood pooling around my limp body.

Darkness pressed in upon my eyelids and I forced my eyes open, but the effect was the same. Wherever I was, I could see nothing but darkness so thick it almost seemed tangible. I tried to move, but regretted the decision at once as my body screamed in pain. The deep gashes on my side oozed warm blood, and my head pounded, a deep cut throbbed where I had hit my head on the cement. I could feel smaller cuts and bruises on other parts of my body too, probably from when I fell. My hands were linked together with thick, metal shackles that dug into my frail wrists, aside from that, I could tell nothing else about my situation.

I decided against trying to walk around as I had no idea what was around me or if I would even be able to stand due to my loss of blood. So I waited, sat there on the cold stone floor and let hot tears pour down my face. A sense of panic rose inside of me as I thought about my predicament. How long had I been unconscious? Who, or more precisely, what had hunted me down? Who would come looking for me? Certainly not my parents, they wouldn't even be home to realize I was gone for another week or so. My friends perhaps, but how would they know where to look when even I didn't know where I was? _Be optimistic_, I told myself. But from every angle, the situation looked hopeless.

A clanking of metal on metal disrupted my thoughts. I turned toward the sound, it seemed to be coming from in front of me, I steeled myself against whatever was opening the door. As the heavy door was shoved open I was momentarily blinded by the bright light that flooded, what I now saw to be, a small, dirty, stone cell. I opened my eyes slowly, squinting in the direction of the intruder. He was a tall, heavily built man with dark features and an air of superiority and power. He was flanked on either side by two demons, one I recognized as the one who had attacked me, those same yellow eyes bore into my own and he let out another deep, throaty growl.

The tall man approached me, and I forced myself to stand. I glared daggers at him, he just looked down at me and smirked. I felt my anger rise, how dare he give me that look!

"Now, now, settle down…Raina." He spoke with a deep, rumbling voice.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" my feeble voice cracked from hours of disuse. I sounded pitiful, but I stood my ground none the less.

"You're a smart girl, surely you could have figured that out by now?"

I glared at him. Stupid man.

"No? Hm, clearly I overestimated you. You see, you are very valuable, very sought after, you would fetch a hefty price on the Black market, a rare demon like you. Yes, very valuable indeed…in more ways than one…"

He trailed his hand down the side of my face, and I heard his demon bodyguards snicker and hiss with approval. I jerked my head away from him, he smirked again, but not the kind of smirk as before, this one was more sinister, more crazed.

"You will learn that it is better to let me do what I wish than to defy me." He stated calmly, then I felt his hand connect with the side of my head as he hit me. I stumbled and fell, reopening wounds that had barely begun to heal. I did not look at him again, but instead I spoke to the ground, "I am no demon, you have the wrong person. Let me go!"

But my plea went unanswered as he turned away, laughing. He gave me one last cold glance as he slammed the door, leaving me in darkness and silence.

For days, weeks, months even, this went on. I had no idea how long it had been since I was brought here, no idea when night ended and day began. They were all the same to me, all filled with torture and pain and confusion. I learned to fear that man, Black was his name, but I would not show it to his face, instead I endured endless pain for reasons that I did not understand.

Again, the sound of metal on metal, the key in the door, the blinding light, this time though, I did not stand. I was so tired, so weak. I stared at the door, trying desperately to hide the fear in my now dull violet eyes. But the man silhouetted against the light was not the one I had come to fear, he was different. My ears picked up the sound of a distant alarm, of hurried footsteps and shouts. I looked back at this unknown person, suspicious and afraid.

"Come on, get up. Can you move?"

His voice was kind and calm despite the chaos occurring elsewhere. He approached me, and I shrank back toward the wall. He bent down, his eyes were a striking green and his hair was long and red, I felt like I could trust him.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you. Here," and he helped me gently to my feet, his eyes surveying my injuries. I wobbled slightly as I began to walk toward the door, he steadied me immediately. This was the first time I had ever been out of my tiny prison cell, and I saw that we were in a hallway, with doors like mine at intervals along both walls. We headed toward a staircase at the far end of the hallway and began to climb, the sounds of the alarms and shouting grew louder.

"Who are you? Why are you helping me?" it was a stupid time to ask such questions, I know, but I was curious and to be honest, a little hesitant to trust anyone at this point.

"There will be time to explain everything soon enough. For now, let's just concentrate on getting you out of here." He answered in the same kind voice as before, and I continued to let him lead me out of the large mansion that had been my prison for so long. We passed many bodies on the ground, as the alarm continued to blare a warning to anyone who was still alive to heed it. Finally, we reached what appeared to be the main entrance and made a quick exit.

It was wonderful, I don't remember the last time I was so happy to feel the wind, to hear the birds and to let the sun kiss my pale, dirty skin. I looked around, there were three other boys, apparently waiting for our arrival. I looked at each of them in turn, one had slicked back black hair and was wearing a green school uniform. Another, the tallest, was wearing a blue uniform and had orange hair, and the last was short with spiky black hair with a white starburst and had an expression of aloofness and uncaring. I stared at him for a moment, before one of them spoke,

"Hey Kurama, about time! Is this the girl? Poor thing, she looks horrible!" the one in blue said as he approached us, looking me up and down.

"Now now, Kuwabara, where are your manners?" the boy in green said.

I gave this Kuwabara guy the best glare I could muster at the moment, considering I was about to collapse from pain, hunger, and exhaustion.

"Well, let's not waste time. We should get her to Genkai, she has some serious injuries and I'm sure she's very tired."

I felt a surge of gratitude toward Kurama, as he scooped me up bridal style and began to walk toward the others. I looked over his shoulder at the receding mansion, my former prison. There were still so many things I didn't understand, so many questions I wanted answered. But those could wait, I thought, as I slowly closed my eyes, listening contently to the meaningless chatter of my four rescuers.

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Well there's chapter two!! Hope you liked it, finally she meets the YYH gang, huh? Anywayz, the next chapter will be a lil more info about Raina's mysterious identity and past and much more character interaction, so that's good, yeah? Chapter three will be up ASAP…pretty please leave me a review and let me know how I'm doing, or if you like it at all so i know if i should continue with the story or not. Thanks! 


	3. Peace and Pain

Hallo, wie geht's?! Time for chapter three! Hope you are all excited!! Hah…just kidding. But I mean…it would be nice if you were excited, you know, it would make me happy if you were happy because of chapter three. I should probably stop talking…or typing actually. Yeah I'm gunna stop now. Don't mind me…just read the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or its characters.

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I awoke today not to the stifling darkness and smell of blood and dirt that I had grown accustomed to over the past few months, but to the bright rays of lazy sunlight that streamed through the window and the smell of clean air. I sat up slowly from the bed that I had been placed on and looked around. I was in a simple room with only a small chest of drawers opposite the bed and sliding doors on the adjacent wall. From the style of the room, I would guess I was in a temple of some sort. 

I looked down at myself and found that despite my sparkling clean surroundings, I was still covered in dirt and blood. I felt disgusted and got up quickly, remembering at once the extent of my injuries. I stifled a yelp of pain and hobbled over to the door. I opened it and looked around, judging by the light coming in from the windows I would say it was very early in the morning, nobody was up yet, it seemed. A door opposite my room stood slightly ajar and I could see it was a bathroom. I walked quietly towards the bathroom, my heart leaping with joy at the sight of the shower.

Before stepping into the shower I glanced at my reflection, but immediately did a double take. The boy with the orange hair was right, I _did_ look horrible. My whole body was covered with dirt and dried blood and my hair was caked with blood and dirt as well. The clothes my captor had put me in, if you could call them clothes…they were really more like rags, were so dirty they looked black and hung from my skinny frame in a pitiful fashion. Without wasting another minute, I stripped and stepped into the warm, much needed shower.

Forty five minutes and several scrubbings later I was back in my room, searching through the chest of drawers looking for something to wear. I felt strange, going through someone else's clothing, but I really did need something to wear. I mean, walking out to greet my hosts in nothing but a towel wouldn't exactly be a great idea. Finally, I found a pink long sleeve shirt and black shorts, not exactly a fashion statement, but they were all that fit my rather malnourished frame.

Not exactly sure what to do with myself now, I quietly opened my door and walked out into the hallway. Still I saw no one, but perhaps they were still asleep? I walked down the hall and into a big room with a couch and table. Across the room I saw that a sliding door that lead outside stood slightly ajar. I opened it and stepped out onto the porch that ran around the entire temple.

"Hello?" I called, but no one responded. I was getting a little nervous, having not seen anyone yet. "Is anyone here?"

I continued to walk around the porch, careful not to reopen my wounds.

"Hn, what are you doing? Shouldn't you be resting?"

Startled, I spun around quickly at the sound of the cold male voice behind me. Instantly, I regretted my actions as I cried out in pain and collapsed to the floor, the claw wounds in my side reopening from the sudden movement. I saw red blood seeping through the pink shirt…that I remembered was not mine. I looked up and my gaze was met by piercing crimson eyes, I recognized him as one of the boys who had rescued me, the one with spiky black hair.

"I'm sorry…" I don't really know why I said it, but the words just tumbled from my mouth as I stared up at him. Maybe I meant I was sorry for ruining the shirt, but he didn't strike me as much of a pink person anyway. I saw a look of confusion pass over his face, but it vanished as quickly as it came. Apparently he didn't know why I had said it either.

"Fool, you're almost as bad as Kuwabara."

I looked down at the ground, ashamed, still doubled over in pain. Then I heard him close the distance between us as he roughly grabbed my arm and helped me up and back into the large sitting room, leading me over to the couch. I sat down and looked anywhere but at him, after a moment he left and returned shortly with Kurama, I think his name was. The boy with the slicked back hair and the other boy with the orange hair were following shortly behind.

Kurama stood next to the couch and looked down at me with a gentle expression.

"Genkai will be here shortly, she will be able to heal your wounds better than any of us." He informed me, though I had no idea who this Genkai was.

"Thank you," I said, smiling at him. That, I realized, was the first time I had smiled in months.

"Oooo, she's so pretty now! Heh heh, hey there, I'm Kuwabara!"

"Kuwabara, what would Yukina say if she knew you were hitting on another girl? By the way, I'm Yusuke Urameshi, he's Kurama and the one sulking near the window is Hiei. Who, I hear, is the cause of all the trouble this morning, sneaking up on you like that." Yusuke's tone was playful, but clearly Hiei saw no humor in it.

"No, it's okay, I mean…he didn't," but before I could finish Hiei was gone in a blur of black out the open window, "…mean it…" I trailed off, looking at my lap.

"Don't let shrimp boy bother you, he's pretty much mean to everyone." Kuwabara stated.

I gave a small smile, pretending that I didn't mind, and began to introduce myself just as a very short old woman and a pretty girl with blue hair walked into the temple.

"Sheesh, finally grandma, any longer and I would have thought you'd keeled over."

Genkai seemed to ignore Yusuke's remark as she walked toward me and looked me over.

"So, you must be the girl, Raina, right? My name is Genkai and this is my temple, but let's skip the fancy intros and get you back into working condition."

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Alright, I know it ends a little abruptly and randomly there, but as I say: randomness is a wonderful thing! But actually, I'm just really tired right now and figured this was as good a place as any to stop. -- Well, what did you think? I know it's moving a little slow, but once she starts learning about her past then it'll get pretty interesting…plus we haven't even begun with the romance yet(!). So yeah, please let me know how I'm doing and…stuff. Chapter cuatro will be up soon! 


	4. If Looks Could Kill

Heeey everyone! So I dyed my hair today and it looks really cool:P Anyway…sorry, here's chapter four, it's kinda short I think, but hope you like it nonetheless!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of its characters.

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"There's not much I can do about the scars, you'll just have to wait for them to fade with time." Genkai stated as she stood up to admire her handiwork, a.k.a. my now fully healed abdomen.

"It's ok, no problem! I'm just happy to be able to move without doubling over in pain." I smiled at her happily. My normally cheerful disposition was returning to me now that I had been bathed and healed, not to mention rescued. I looked around the room at all of them (minus Hiei, of course, he was still gone) and felt immensely grateful.

"Thank you all so much, I appreciate everything you've done for me."

"Yeah, no need to get mushy, we were just doing our job is all." stated Yusuke nonchalantly.

"Your job?"

"Yeah, you know, save the damsel in distress, kill the evil crime lord and his demon minions…that sort of thing." Yusuke said, shrugging.

"Oh I see, well, I appreciate it nonetheless. And I was wondering, there're a lot of things I don't understand, why was I taken prisoner in the first place? And demons? I thought they weren't even real. And Black, my captor, told me I was a demon. Please, I don't…"

"Yes, there is quite a lot to explain. However, I believe the best person to do it would be Koenma. He will be able to give you more complete and accurate information, as we were only given very vague details of the whole situation. I believe he's coming here in a couple hours to explain everything." Stated Kurama, suggesting next that we have some breakfast. Now that, to me, sounded like a great idea!

After breakfast I found myself wandering aimlessly around Genkai's gardens and yard, letting my mind ask the same questions that it had been asking for weeks. The wind blew and the leaves in the trees rustled gently. I looked up and caught sight of something black, but before I could be sure of what it was it darted away again, into the forest along the perimeter of the temple.

"Hiei?" I called out, hoping that maybe he would come back. I wanted to talk to him, after all.

I followed him into the forest, keeping my gaze fixed upward, searching through the thick leaves for any sign of him. I continued to walk, calling out his name at random intervals, until I realized that I had wandered quite far into the forest. I stopped and looked around, the heavy canopy of leaves casting eerie shadows on the forest floor.

"H-Hiei?" There was no answer except for the low moan of the wind as it swept through the trees. I began to panic, turning in circles to try and find the way I came. It was times like these that I felt incredibly stupid, I should have paid attention to what I was doing. The snapping of a nearby twig brought me out of my inner scolding, and I caught something move out of the corner of my eye.

I whipped around and found myself feet away from some sort of huge creature, its skin gray and dead looking, it's eyes dark and blood thirsty. I backed away slowly, not taking my eyes off the thing until I found myself backed up against a large tree. I stood there, neither of us moving. Then suddenly, it lunged forward, it's clawed fingers outstretched, fangs bared. I screamed, waiting for impending death, but death never came, nor did any pain.

I opened my eyes and saw a sword, glinting and sparkling in the broken sunlight, sticking out of the head of the beast. I stared dumbly at the demon as it fell forward, as if in slow motion, and hit the ground with a thud. Hiei jumped down from the tree behind the demon, fixing me with an icy glare as he pulled his sword from the demon's head.

"Why were you following me?" he asked, venom in his voice. His sudden question caught me off guard, as I was still wondering what exactly that thing was.

"I…I just wanted to talk to you. I wanted to…to thank you, actually. You weren't in the room with everyone else when I thanked them, so I just wanted to say thank you for saving me. And again, thank you for saving me this time, too! I'm so sorry I just panicked, I didn't know what to do. And I also wanted to say that I don't blame you for this morning at all! I shouldn't have been wandering around, I should have been resting, like you said…" I trailed off pathetically. I had intended to redeem myself by coming out in the forest to talk to Hiei, but I'm quite sure that he hated me even more now.

"Hn."

I looked up at him from my place at the trunk of the tree and thought I saw a slight blush on his cheeks before he turned and began to walk away. I smiled slightly as I picked myself up and followed him through the forest.

"I don't think I've introduced myself yet, my name is Raina Hokkaido. Thank you again for everything, that's twice now I would have died if not for your help! I'm sorry to cause you so much trouble…"

"If you don't want to cause me trouble then stop getting into trouble yourself."

I could feel my anger boil up inside of me as I glared daggers at him.

"Well it's not like I _asked_ to be kidnapped and tortured for months. And I'm sorry if I only followed you into the forest because I wanted to thank you!"

Hiei did not respond, which only served to increase my anger. I walked behind him, my arms folded across my chest, glaring at the back of his head, hoping that somehow I might be able to inflict physical pain on him with only my eyes.

We arrived back at the temple and I stormed off in the direction of my room, not particularly wanting to talk to anyone right now. When I reached my room, however, I was denied entry by Yusuke, calling me over into the sitting room. Koenma had arrived.

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Weeelllll, okay, I know, we didn't actually get to her past yet or anything and I'm sorry but that's how the cookie crumbles. Next chapter will be stuffed full of juicy info about Raina, plus….other stuff that I don't know of yet. So please review and let me know how I'm doing…otherwise I'll lose my motivation…lol, anywho, hope you're having a good day! Hehe. (random…) 


	5. Revelations

Hola everyone! So I'm back with chapter five. Yay! And I have nothing else to say.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or its characters.

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Koenma had arrived, already? Had I really spent two hours in the forest? Time flies, I guess. I paused momentarily to collect myself before following Yusuke down the hallway and into the sitting room.

Everyone, being Yusuke, Kurama, Kuwabara, Hiei, Genkai, Yukina, and a tall male with brown hair and Jr. on his forehead, who I assumed to be Koenma, stared at me as I walked in. I felt as though I had done something wrong, as though I were being judged. I shifted nervously and fidgeted with the hem of my shorts, not meeting anyone's eyes, but instead staring at the wooden floorboards.

"Raina Hokkaido?"

I looked up quickly at the sound of my name, staring at Koenma.

"Yes, sir?" I wasn't entirely sure if 'sir' was the proper way to address him, but he seemed to be pretty important, so I figured I was safe either way.

"I am Koenma, ruler of the Spirit World," _Yeah, he's important_, I thought to myself. "I'm very pleased to finally meet you. I'm sure you're very confused about everything that has happened so far, so first allow me to explain, then you may ask any questions that I have not answered. You may want to take a seat as it will be a rather long story"

"Um, alright."

_Finally_, I thought, _I was going to get some answers_! I made my way over to the couch and sat down between Yusuke and Kuwabara, smiling nervously at the both of them.

"Well, I suppose it would be best to start at the very beginning. Years ago an ancient demon, Maruka, ruled over a vast area of the Makai, or Demon World. She was a cruel and brutal ruler, who often slaughtered other demons for personal gain. She was, however, very powerful, so many were afraid to oppose her. Eventually, the other demons under her rule gathered together their strongest, a group which became known as The Reapers, and began to plot the murder of their ruler. It was not long before Maruka gained knowledge of their plans to kill her, and only days before her murder she gave birth to a baby girl. That girl, Raina, is you."

I shifted uncomfortably as everyone's eyes, which had once been fixed on Koenma, now turned to look at me. I felt my cheeks grow warm under the stares of so many people. Thankfully, Koenma continued and they all averted their gaze back to him.

"The father, also a very ancient and strong demon, was outraged that Maruka had not birthed a boy and he insisted that they kill the baby and try again. Maruka refused, knowing that she did not have long before she was killed. Crazed with anger, the father took the baby that night, marking her with an ancient seal, and left her in the heart of the forest to die. Later the next day, the Reapers successfully murdered Maruka and her lover.

"The baby, however, did not die as the father had intended, though she remained in the dark forest for days. Instead, she was discovered by a gang of demons who, not knowing what else to do with the dying infant, tossed her into a portal to human world. Shortly thereafter, you were found and placed in an orphanage until you were adopted by your current family. Your human mother and father know nothing of your past, nor does anyone else in the Human World." Koenma finished.

I stared for a moment at my hands folded gently in my lap. How could this be true? I was adopted, and never knew? How could I be anyone other than just me, just Raina, just an ordinary girl who goes to high school, has a part time job, friends….how? I didn't want to look up at anyone, didn't want to see their faces, their accusing looks. But the silence was deafening and I decided to break it, my voice sounding weak and unfamiliar as I spoke.

"But why was I kidnapped, I don't understand. Black said I was a rare and valuable demon. How does the past you just described make me valuable?"

"Yes, a good question. I believe Black was the first crime lord to learn of your history and to actually track you down. You are valuable because, according to the law, you are the only child of Maruka, and therefore the large portion of the Makai that she ruled…is yours. Everything she owned, her demon army, everything, belongs to you. Not to mention that once your powers awaken, you will be quite strong."

I stared at Koenma blankly. Had he really just told me that I was now the ruler of a place that only minutes ago I learned existed? And my powers…what powers?

"No…no, that's ridiculous. I…I can't….I don't…" I wasn't entirely sure of what I wanted to say, but I had to somehow express my discontent.

"Not to add insult to injury, but it's not as simple as just going back there and claiming the throne, either. The Reapers will, undoubtedly, be looking for you. They have not forgotten the cruelty with which Maruka ruled, and will not let someone from her line take the place as ruler, no matter how different you are from her. Raina, they want you dead."

As though telling me that I had to rule demons wasn't enough, I am now wanted dead for the mistakes of a mother I never knew I had? Everything was so confusing, I thought for certain that getting answers would clear things up. It was just the opposite, everything he explained to me only created new and more daunting questions.

"Koenma, you had mentioned earlier in the story that her father had placed some sort of demonic seal on her, what exactly do you mean?" questioned Kurama.

I jumped slightly at the sound of his voice. I had forgotten that there was anyone else in the room, anyone else in existence, besides me and Koenma.

"Yes, the seal…he placed the seal on her so that, if his plan did not work, meaning if she did not die in the forest, then she would be doomed to death on her 18th year."

"Uhh, her 18th year? So you mean, when she turns 18 she's going to die?" inquired Kuwabara.

"Not necessarily, there are ways to prevent her being killed. On the month leading up to her 18th birthday, the seal will slowly begin to make itself visible, and as her father intended, it will call The Reapers to her. The seal has also kept her demonic energy and powers locked inside her, so once it becomes fully visible, she will also gain her powers. I believe he intended that in hopes that The Reapers would kill her before then, but I'm not sure of his real motives." He trailed off, sounding contemplative, as the rest of the room sat in silence, all looking deep in thought.

"Is there anyway to release her powers sooner? Perhaps then she can train and have a chance at fighting The Reapers."

It was the first time I had heard Hiei speak since the whole forest frenzy, which seemed so insignificant and childish now. Somehow, his voice seemed to calm me down and his talk of taking action gave me a strange sense of courage.

"There is a way, actually, but there will be risks, and the pain will be almost unendurable…"

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OooOooO how exciting huh?! Lol well, there's chapter five. It seems like it took me forever to write this chapter, but maybe it's just cuz I'm tired and stuff. I dunno. Maybe cuz its so stuffed full of lengthy dialogues and explanations. I think I want some ice cream now. Hehe. Anyways, chapter six will be out soon, thnx for reading! Review please...if you would be so kind. ; ) 


	6. Doubts of a Dazed Mind

So hey everybody! What's up?! I humbly present to you chapter six for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or its characters.

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I quickly scanned the sitting room; everyone was rapt with attention. Yukina wore an expression of blatant concern on her face, while Kurama, Genkai, and Koenma looked thoughtful. Yusuke looked interested and ready for action, while Kuwabara looked slightly confused. Hiei's expression was difficult to read, but there was a shadow of emotion behind his cold crimson eyes…was it concern, maybe? 

Unendurable pain, I thought to myself. Did they think I couldn't handle pain, after my weeks of endless torture at the hands of Black?

"I'm sure I can deal with the pain, Koenma, sir." I added the sir for good measure and looked him in the eyes.

"I don't think you understand, Raina. This isn't the same as any pain you've ever dealt with…"

"And I suppose the weeks I spent being tortured count for nothing? I still haven't spoken of what Black did to me because I decided to spare you all of the nightmares I have to suffer through, the things I remember, when I close my eyes!" I shuddered at the thoughts and images that crept up in the back of my mind and shut them out quickly, focusing instead on Koenma's slightly shocked face.

"This isn't like that, it isn't like any physical pain you've ever experienced, it's a hundred times worse. It's a pain you can feel to the depths of your soul, as though your life, your body, your very existence were being slowly ripped apart. I've seen people attempt to open these seals before, not many survive." He added grimly.

I looked away from him, thinking about what he said.

"Not to mention that once we open the seal, it will also mean that the Reapers will begin searching for you immediately, they will not wait until you turn eighteen to come looking."

"Well what are the other options? Without her powers she's as good as dead anyway once the Reapers come searching for her." Genkai added bluntly.

"You're right, Genkai, she has no other options…" Koenma added, his voice was low and steady, as if dreading the daunting task that lay ahead.

That night I lay in bed, staring up at the white ceiling, thinking about everything that was said today. Today was the 22nd of August and my birthday was on September 27th, so the seal would become barely visible on the 27th of this month. We, well, mostly the others, as I seemed to have had little part in actually deciding my own fate, had chosen to open the seal five days from now, the very day it would appear. This, they had discussed, would give us time to plan, and would give me a few more days as an almost normal girl. I could hardly believe that this was happening, and my mind was reeling with different scenarios and situations, each more dangerous and deadly than the last. I knew sleep would not come tonight, so I got up and walked silently to my door.

After walking twice around the temple I sat down at the edge of the wooden porch that wrapped around the building. I sat there silently, swinging my legs back and forth, thinking about nothing in particular, when I heard someone walking up behind me. I turned my head slowly and saw Hiei standing above me, not looking at me but staring instead at the vast grounds and dark forest that lay ahead of us.

"Hey, Hiei," I said looking back down at my swinging legs, "what are you doing up so late…or early, I guess?"

"I'm always up this early."

I had grown accustomed to his short, harsh sentences in the brief time I had been here and therefore thought nothing of the fact that he chose not to elaborate on why exactly he is awake at 2 AM every morning. In one swift and silent motion he lowered himself down onto the porch and sat next to me, still staring ahead at nothing in particular. I looked over at him curiously, as this was a rather strange thing for Hiei to do.

"Is everything alright, Hiei?" My tone was light and friendly, and he looked over at me, his eyes shining like blood in the moonlight.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?"

"Not really, you and the others pretty much know my entire life story as well as my near future, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that everything isn't exactly perfect at the moment."

I chanced a sideways glance at him and found him still looking at me. I much preferred him staring at the trees than at me, as his intense gaze made me slightly uncomfortable. I turned my eyes to the grass, as though it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"You needn't worry, Raina, I'm sure Yusuke and I can handle the Reapers…" he said.

I looked back up at him, my violet eyes searching his determined face, and sighed heavily, leaning my head wearily on his shoulder. I felt him stiffen at once under my weight, but he did not pull away, which, I figured, was a good thing.

"I don't really want to talk about that right now, maybe we can….talk about…some…thing…else…" my voice trailed away lightly, my eyes closed slowly, almost of their own accord. And I entrusted my sleeping form to the protection of the slightly bewildered fire demon, his warmth and presence lulling me into a sweet, dreamless sleep.

I opened my eyes slowly, savoring the last moments of what had been the best sleep I've had in months. Remembering the events of last night, I looked around, finding that I was no longer on the porch with Hiei, but in my room, sunlight streaming through the opened window.

I climbed out of bed, dressing myself in what I had worn yesterday (as I still had no clothes of my own here), and walked out into the hall. I heard a commotion in the kitchen so I headed that way, my bare feet making almost no sound on the cool wooden floor. When I arrived in the kitchen I found Yusuke and Kuwabara having a tussle over something unknown to me, though I could have sworn I distinguished shouts about some kind of breakfast food. I decided to stay out of it and veered around them, to where Kurama was standing, looking slightly embarrassed by the tactics of his two friends.

"G'morning, Kurama!" I smiled up at him cheerfully, while I grabbed an apple, taking a small bite.

"Good morning, Raina. Did you sleep well?" Whether or not he knew of me using Hiei as a pillow last night, I did not know, but there seemed to be a hint of amusement behind his question.

"I did, thanks!" I decided to act as though I didn't catch the hidden meaning in his question and walked out of the kitchen and into the sitting room. Here I found Yukina, with two other girls that I didn't know. I stopped quickly, thinking maybe I was intruding, and turned to walk out when one of the girls, the one with blue hair and…pink eyes, jumped up and grabbed my wrist.

"Not so fast, missy! You're coming with us!" she said in a bubbly, high pitched voice, leading me toward the door.

"B-But wait, I don't….who are you? Where are we going?" For all the answers those questions got me I might as well have asked them to a wall. So I continued to let myself be dragged out of the temple by this girl, with Yukina and the other brown haired girl a few paces ahead of us.

As I was drug along past the hallway I saw Hiei come out of one of the rooms, he looked up at the sound of my hopeless struggle and the announcement by the girl with blue hair that we were going shopping. I gave him a fleeting look of confusion mingled with despair as I was pulled out of the temple against my will.

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So there you have it, chapter….what chapter is this? Lol, I forgot what chapter I'm writing (scrolls back up to the top of the page to look) ah! Chapter six! I thought so. Anyway, the poor girl needed clothes and I figured I needed to incorporate more girl time in there. So yeah. Hope you liked it….please review, I need some feedback. And thanks to the people who have reviewed, i appreciate it! Chapter seven will be up whenever, but it may take a little longer than the others cuz i have to work a lot this weekend. Ciao! 


	7. Something like Bonding

Hola mis amigos! Chapter seven is here…it's quite a doozy (is that how you spell that? i don't know...i've never actually written that word in my life. lol)! I hope you all enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or its characters.

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Despite being forcibly dragged from the temple to an undisclosed location by two people I didn't know at all, and one person I barely knew, I'd say I was having quite a good time. I wasn't much of a shopper, that's for sure, but I still enjoyed walking around the mall with the girls as it took my mind off of the seal, the Reapers, etc. We were currently in a store that carried an array of items in shades of violent pinks and purples, my first instinct had been to run, but Keiko and Yukina had reassured me that Botan just wanted to buy something here.

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry, but I'll only be a minute!" Botan called happily as she made her way to the back of the store.

"After this, we're going to focus completely on you, Raina! It'll be lots of fun buying you new things!" Keiko exclaimed, smiling at me sweetly.

"I…I don't really have any money, though…"

"That's okay, it's our treat!" Yukina said. She was such a sweet girl and I had grown quite fond of her since we began our little outing.

"No, please! I couldn't possibly accept that! It's too much, and you guys have already done so much for me!" I shook my head, emphasizing my point…but apparently they didn't understand.

"Don't worry, we _want_ to do this for you, it'll be so much fun!" Botan said, popping up between Yukina and Keiko, a small pink shopping bag in her hand. "So, are you girls ready to go?" The three of us nodded, and I followed them out of the store, feeling slightly unworthy of their kindness.

We continued to go from store to store, picking out various outfits that they thought would look good on me. I tried on everything they brought to me so as not to offend anyone, and we usually ended up purchasing the vast majority of the things I tried on. By 1:30 in the afternoon I was so completely weighed down with shopping bags that I could barely hold myself upright.

"Alright, you guys, that's enough. You've spent way too much money on me as it is!"

I said, as they continued to head into the next store. They turned around to look at me: laden down with countless bags, slightly out of breath, a pleading look on my face, Yukina and Botan let out girlish giggles while Keiko walked over and took some of the bags from me.

"But this is one of the most important stores! If you don't want to come in, then you can wait out here while we go find you something…suitable. And don't worry, we'll keep your special someone in mind when buying for you…" Botan said in a teasing voice. I turned my eyes to the sign above the entrance to the store and saw that it was a lingerie shop. A blush crept its way across my cheeks as I looked back down at the receding backs of Botan, Keiko, and Yukina walking into the store.

"What do you mean, 'my special someone'?" I shouted after her, a little nervous that she had learned of my Hiei incident last night. She didn't reply and I let out a little sigh of defeat as I plopped down on a bench and let them have their way in the lingerie shop, hoping against hope that they would spare my dignity.

I sat and watched the people, some in a hurry, some walking as though they had all the time in the world, others chatting eagerly with friends. For a moment, I envied those people. They had normal lives, lives that weren't fractured by torture and the thought of unendurable pain and death. And it struck me that it was only months ago that I had been wishing that I _didn't_ have a normal life…that something interesting would happen. Well, I guess the saying was right, be careful what you wish for, because I certainly got it. But as my three friends returned, walking toward me with smiles on their faces, I brightened immediately, realizing what exactly I had to be grateful for.

"Well, what do you say we head back to Genkai's, collect the boys, and go out for dinner?" Botan suggested as I stood up, collecting my bags.

"That sounds great!" I said, smiling happily at the three of them.

"Yeah, Botan, good idea!" Keiko added.

"It'll be fun!" Yukina said quietly.

With that decided, we turned and walked toward the mall's exit.

"Thank you guys so much for everything! I had such a wonderful time today and I really appreciate what you've done for me! If there's anything I can do to repay you…" I said, hoping that I had fully expressed my gratitude.

"There's no need to repay us, we wanted to do this for you!" Keiko said, and I could sense the truth behind her words, so I smiled gratefully as we continued to chat about nothing in particular.

When we arrived back at the temple, it didn't take long for us to locate our four favorite boys. We found them all sitting in the living room, drinking tea and talking with Genkai. Their voices were low and hushed, as if the subject they discussed was forbidden or not meant for other people's ears, and as we walked in they stopped talking immediately. The others, it seemed, did not notice this, as Botan announced loudly,

"C'mon, boys! We're all going out to dinner, our treat!"

"But it's only 2:30, Botan. We just had lunch a couple hours ago, can't we wait until at least four o' clock?" Questioned Kuwabara, as he and the others eyed me and my horde of shopping bags with curiosity.

"Oooh, well I suppose. But you all better be ready when four o'clock gets here!" She said, giving them looks of warning.

"In the mean time, maybe we can help Raina get ready, you know, help her pick out an outfit?" suggested Keiko.

"Oh Keiko, I love the way you think!" Botan exclaimed as she dragged me (again) by the wrist, this time directing me toward my room, where they began unpacking my bags and sorting out outfits. I was given strict orders to go shower and "freshen up" while they decided on appropriate clothing for me. It was difficult, at this point, not to feel like a dress up doll at a young girl's sleepover, each girl trying to dress the doll in her favorite outfit. But I went along with it and headed for the bathroom.

I returned thirty five minutes later, wrapped in a robe, my hair still dripping wet. There were three outfits lying on my bed, each looked very pretty and well put together. As I admired them, Botan shoved the bag from the lingerie shop into my hands.

"You probably need that, huh?" she said, smiling mischievously.

"Um, yes, thank you…" I said, as I headed back toward the bathroom to put on my undergarments. As I dug through the bag, I felt a familiar blush sweep across my face. They had bought me things I never would have bought for myself, and as I dug deeper into the bag I thought half of these things must be a joke. Finally, I dug up a decent pair of matching bra and underwear and put them on, grabbing the bag, putting my robe on, and returning to my room.

"Alright, you guys…what exactly did you buy me?!" I said, more then a little embarrassed as I held up a skimpy pair of underwear from the bag.

They all burst out laughing, even Yukina was laughing quietly, her face hidden behind her hands. I turned a deeper shade of red, staring at them all laughing hysterically at me. Before I knew it, however, I had joined in their laughing as well. Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes and my sides began to ache before we finally collected ourselves, a random giggle erupting here and there.

"Wow, that was the first time I've laughed like that in months." I said, still smiling, as I approached the bed and looked down at the clothes they had laid out for me.

"So, which is it? Which one am I wearing?" I asked, looking in turn at each of them.

"Well, we each picked out our favorite, and we decided to let you make the final call." Botan explained. I had difficulty deciding but finally chose the black pleated skirt that rose to my mid thigh paired with a deep violet, three quarter length sleeved shirt that brought out the color in my eyes. After slipping on the black flats that completed the look, the three girls stood back and 'oohed' and 'ahhed' over me, giving me their approval.

"I knew that would look good on you!" Keiko said, happy that I had chosen her outfit.

"But now…what to do with your hair?" inquired Botan, as she stared at my still wet locks.

Finally, at 3:55, we made, what Botan referred to as our "grand entrance" into the sitting room. The three of them walked ahead of me, Botan announcing my coming as if I were the queen of some far away country. As she said my name I walked out into the sitting room, my head bowed slightly from embarrassment.

"TA DAH! Isn't she cute?!" Botan said happily, hugging me in the process. My hair, they had decided, would look best with my outfit if they styled it in loose curls, and apparently they were right, judging by the shocked looks of the boys. For some reason, my eyes looked immediately to Hiei, but he didn't wear an expression like the others, he only had a faint blush on his cheeks, and as he met my gaze, he looked away quickly.

"Wow, Raina, if Keiko weren't here, I'd..."

"You'd _what_, Yusuke?!" Keiko demanded, her eyes squinting in anger.

Yusuke laughed nervously, "Nothing, Keiko, jeez, it was just a joke!"

"Well, shall we go then?" Botan asked to the whole room in general, and we stood and began to walk out. I tagged behind purposely so that I could talk to Hiei, though that never happened. The most I got out was, "Hey, Hiei! I hoped—" before I was dragged up toward the front of the group by Yusuke, who draped his arm over my shoulders and began to entertain the group with embarrassing stories about Kuwabara.

Dinner passed without a hitch, unless you count Hiei threatening to dismember Kuwabara for his foolishness, which, I was informed, happens quite often. And once the bill was paid, we stepped outside into the warm air, the setting sun painting the sky with vibrant colors.

"I know!" proclaimed Botan, suddenly struck with an idea, "why don't we just make it an all-nighter? I mean, it's already seven o' clock, let's just go grab some snacks at the store and stay up all night watching movies and playing games! It'll be so much fun!" She finished, bouncing up and down excitedly.

"I suppose that wouldn't be a bad idea, as it would take us quite awhile to get back to Genkai's temple from here anyway." Stated Kurama, depending, once again, on his logic.

"Sure, what the hell, why not? And we can stay at my mom's apartment for the night, she definitely won't be home on a Friday, she practically lives at the bar on the weekends." Offered Yusuke, shrugging slightly as if this information didn't bother him in the least.

"Great, then it's a plan! Let's go to the grocery store and pick us up some snacks, alright?" Botan confirmed, already leading the way.

After browsing the shelves of the grocery store, we left with two bags worth of junk food and a new found energy, the type of energy that comes with the twilight when you know you have a long, exciting night ahead of you. We followed Yusuke as he led us to his apartment, all talking and laughing happily, as if there wasn't a care in the world. We climbed the flights of stairs up to his apartment and he opened the door.

"Wow, it's nice…" I said, more to myself than anyone.

We took off our shoes and immediately made ourselves at home, as Botan brought out the junk food and tossed a soda to each one of us.

One o' clock in the morning and the party was just getting started. The floor was now littered with little wrappers from candy, empty potato chip bags, and discarded soda bottles. Keiko, Yusuke and I were sitting on the couch, Kurama in an armchair, and Kuwabara, Yukina, and Botan were sitting on the floor. Hiei was sitting on the windowsill, staring out into the black night.

"Let's see, should we play Truth or Dare, or should we play Spin the Bottle?" Botan questioned, a small grin spreading across her face.

"Let's do Truth or Dare." Yusuke said, looking eager.

"Alright…Raina, you get to start! Pick someone!" Botan said, and I looked around the room at everyone, having absolutely no idea who to pick and what to ask them.

"Keiko," I said, sounding slightly unsure of myself, "truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Okay, um….do you want to marry Yusuke?" I know. It was possibly one of the most boring truth questions every asked in the history of Truth and Dare, but honestly, I had no idea what else to ask, as I had only just met her today. However, I was pleased to see that the question threw her a little, and she paused for awhile before answering.

"I…I guess so. I mean, ever since I was little I always pictured us being together forever." She responded, seeming to struggle with admitting something so personal in front of everyone. The girls 'aww'ed in unison while the boys snorted and chuckled.

"Kuwabara," Keiko said, choosing the next victim, "truth or dare?"

"Hah, dare, of course! What kind of sissy would pick truth?"

Yusuke leaned over and whispered something into Keiko's ear, at which she exclaimed "No way, Yusuke!" After a little more convincing, though, she finally gave in and presented Kuwabara with his dare: to run around outside for thirty seconds…naked.

We watched from the balcony of Yusuke's apartment as Kuwabara streaked up and down the street, shouting curses at us all as we laughed hysterically at him.

"Fool." Hiei said, though you could hear the amusement in his voice.

As soon as Kuwabara's thirty seconds were up he ran back up the stairs, shoving his boxers and clothes back on, his face beet red from running and from embarrassment. We all stood, doubled over laughing and leaning on one another for support, as he went back into the apartment, muttering under his breath. We followed him inside and took our places on the couch and floor, wiping tears from our eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, guys, laugh it up." He said angrily.

"Hey, you're the one who wanted a dare!" Yusuke said between laughs.

"Go on, Kuwabara, pick your victim!" Botan encouraged, as Kuwabara scanned the room carefully.

"Yusuke, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"Go drink from the toilet." Kuwabara said, as if this was the best dare ever thought of, disgusting maybe, but not as entertaining as watching someone like Kuwabara streak. Yusuke hesitantly fulfilled his dare, then attempted to kiss Keiko, who, in turn, slapped him across the face.

"Alright, Yusuke, your turn to pick!" Botan said, playing referee again.

Yusuke's eyes fell on me, and I instantly feared the worst. I was giving him my best 'please don't make me do anything horrible' look, when he grinned evilly and asked me to pick truth or dare.

"…Dare." I said, silently begging him to be merciful.

"Raina, I dare you to kiss Hiei. And no on the cheek crap, I mean on the lips. And if Hiei doesn't let you…then he has to kiss Kuwabara."

I looked at him unbelievingly, almost preferring that it was me who had been dared to drink from the toilet. I stood up slowly, mechanically, and turned around to face Hiei, who was still perched on the windowsill, but whose face mirrored the shock and surprise that I felt. Immediately he wiped his face of all emotion and stood, glaring at Yusuke with unmatched hatred.

"I never said I was a part of your childish game." He stated, as he walked from the room and out the front door. I turned back around and looked at everyone, who seemed rather unfazed by this turn of events.

"Shouldn't we go apologize to him or something?" I asked, looking from face to face.

"Nah, he'll be fine. So does that mean I get to pick someone else?" Yusuke asked Botan, as though I should just sit back down and pretend nothing happened.

As they resumed the game, I walked outside, unnoticed, and looked around for Hiei. Not seeing him on the balcony, I walked down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk, the pavement was cool and rough beneath my bare feet, as I walked a little ways down the street. I spotted him up ahead, his dark figure walking slowly away from me.

"Hiei! Hiei, wait!" I shouted, not caring that it was now around two in the morning and normal people were trying to sleep. I ran after him, as he stopped and turned to look back at me. I finally caught up with him, my feet aching from running on the hard concrete as I slowed to a stop next to him, slightly out of breath. I looked at him carefully, examining his features by the light of the silver moon. He looked back at me curiously, as though I had just appeared out of nowhere. I straightened up and took a deep breath.

"Hiei…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable and I don't want you to leave." I looked at him, trying to express my sincerity with my eyes.

"Hn. You don't need to apologize for the stupidity of those fools." He said, his voice was soft and his eyes remained locked on mine as he spoke.

"I know, I still feel bad though. I mean, I wanted us all to have a good time together. But will you please come back? It wouldn't be the same without you there…" I stepped closer to him, taking his hand in mine and smiling slightly at him, willing him to return. I felt his hand flinch slightly in mine, as though unfamiliar with the feel of human contact. He looked at me as though trying to discern whether or not I was being honest, whether or not I really wanted him to go back. And as he stared into my violet eyes, I felt a small shiver run up the length of my spine.

"Fine." He agreed reluctantly.

"Great! Thank you so much!" I exclaimed happily, and I turned to lead him back to the apartment, his hand still in mine.

"Oh," I said, stopping suddenly and turning around to face him, "and just so you don't have to kiss Kuwabara…" I leaned in and gently touched my lips to his. It was a light kiss, but nevertheless, I felt the softness of his lips on mine and the warmth of his body as he closed the distance between us, pressing his arms against the small of my back. I was surprised by this, as I was not expecting him to react that way at all. I pulled back and looked at him, smiling gently, a delicate blush on my cheeks, appreciating the way our bodies seemed to fit together perfectly.

"We should go back now…" I said. I didn't honestly want to go back, but I knew that if we waited any longer they would come looking for us and would assume the worst about what we'd been doing while alone in the dark.

I placed a feathery kiss on his cheek as I took his hand and we walked back to Yusuke's apartment in a comfortable silence. When we arrived back, I let go of his hand and we walked inside as though nothing strange had happened.

"Took you long enough! We're about ready to watch a scary movie, hurry up!" Kuwabara demanded.

We entered the room and I saw that Keiko and Yusuke were now on the floor, leaving the couch empty. I tugged gently on Hiei's sleeve, directing him toward the couch, and we both sat down a safe distance apart. I thought I felt someone's eyes on me and I looked up to see Kurama smiling knowingly at me as the thrilling music from the horror movie began to play.

I was woken up by a combination of Kuwabara talking in his sleep and the bright sunlight that came dancing through the shades. I opened my eyes slowly and found that I had fallen asleep with my head on Hiei's lap, his arm lying protectively across my stomach. As I shifted slightly Hiei opened his eyes and looked down at me, a small smile tugged at the sides of his mouth.

"Good morning!" I said sleepily, as I sat up and hugged him, getting up to stretch. He stood up too, surveying the mess we had created the night before. And as the others began to wake up, I gave Hiei a fleeting smile and started to clean up the evidence of our long night.

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Sooooo what'd you think? Holy crap that was a long chapter huh? For me, anyway. But I just couldn't stop, it's like 2 in the morning now and I was like "must keep writing, must keep writing!" and I did! So there you go: chapter seven in all of its glory. And yay! Finally some romance, huh? I hope it didn't go too fast, what did you think? Let me know (cough review cough) and chappie ocho will be out soon! 


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